Coldengham, New York
Store of Cadwallader Colden, Jr.
Chamber Pot
On this day, 250 years ago, Robert R. Graham purchased a Chamber Pot at the Colden Store for seven shillings.
 |
| Pewter Chamber Pot. Image courtesy of the-saleroom.com |
Search the DayBook
This article is one in a series of a daily accountings of Colden Store transactions. Be sure you read the first installment for an introduction to the store. You should also read this article which appeared in the Journal of the Orange County Historical Society.
Webster defined chamber-pot in his 1828 dictionary most delicately as "A vessel used in bedrooms." A more accurate description would be "a portable toilet."
This entry is only the second chamber-pot recorded so far in the DayBook [August 1767 to April 1768]. At least three other sales of chamber pots were recorded later in 1768. Of these five sales, all were described as 'pewter' except for this sale.
These chamber-pots were likely considered a luxury item considering the wealth of the five men who purchased them. Less wealthy families either made do with other containers or endured the cold walk to the out-house.
Webster also had some difficulty defining 'outhouse' in his 1828 dictionary. It was "A small house or building at a little distance from the main house."
===================
Search the DayBook
No comments:
Post a Comment